The Years Are Short
by Kare Bear9
Summary: Max learns a valuable life lesson while making a late night pregnancy craving run for 99.
1. Chapter 1

Max put his red Sunbeam convertible in park and killed the ignition. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and yawned. It was almost two in the morning and his wife woke him up with pregnancy cravings that

absolutely needed to be satisfied. Though Max was exhausted he, without question, got out of bed, made a list and headed to the store. There isn't much he wouldn't do for that woman who was waiting for him at home. Smiling to himself he reached over to the passenger seat and grabbed the scrap paper he wrote 99's list on.

Dill pickles

Strawberry ice cream

Peanut butter

Banana

Max wasn't sure which combinations of the foods 99 would eat but he also figure out that by now, it was best to not ask. Max got out of his car and headed into the 24 hour convenience store. He looked at his watch and it read 2:04. He made these late night runs for 99 into a game. His personal best was 5 items in 3 minutes. He was aiming for these 4 in two. Max quickly went down the aisles and grabbed 99's request before stopping at the wall freezers and grabbing a half gallon of strawberry ice cream. Max made it to the cashier with 30 seconds to spare.

The cashier was an elderly man. He looked up at Max and smiled. "Hows your night?" He asked as he started ringing Max's items in.

"Fine." Max replied, not really wanting to spark up a conversation.

"What brings you out so late?"

"My wife." Max said as he felt a smile spread across his face. His heart still skipped a beat when he called 99 his wife. He figured it always would. "She's pregnant and had some cravings." Max continued. He wasn't sure why, this man was a stranger, but for some reason he now felt compelled to have a conversation with him.

"Ah, I remember those days. I thought they would never end. And then the baby came and the nights were even longer." The old man said, slowly bagging Max's groceries.

"There have been a few long nights." Max admitted as he thought back on 99's pregnancy. The beginning of it was cake. But in the middle she got hit with terrible morning sickness that hit all hours of the day. And her cravings were multiple times a week and never for items he had already ran out and got. And they always seemed to hit her strongest in the middle of the night. But Max didn't mind. She was pregnant with his baby after all. Running and getting some few things for her was the least he could do. "But I don't mind. She's doing the hard work." He said smiling.

"I know it's hard to believe but someday you'll look back on these midnight runs fondly. I lost my wife 5 years ago and I still think back and long for nights like you're having."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Max said and he placed a $10 on the counter. "How long were you married?"

"Forty-five years with my best friend. I'm a lucky man regardless." The old man handed Max his change. "Drive carefully. And remember. The nights are long but the years are oh so short."

Max grabbed his bag and nodded at the old man before leaving the store. Once in his car he started it up and looked at his watch. 2:16. He definitely didn't beat his best this time. Max pulled away from the store and headed home.

Once home he took the steps up to the second floor two at a time. He entered the apartment and 99 was on the couch reading a magazine. She looked up and smiled.

"That was fast!"

"I try. I'd ask what you want but I think I'd rather not know." He said, heading towards the kitchen. 99 followed him. "I'm going to put the ice cream in the freezer for you, ok?"

"Thank you, Love." 99 said as she took the pickles and peanut butter out of the bag. She placed them on the counter and then removed the banana. 99 turned and faced Max. "Thank you for making another run for me. Too bad we didn't buy stock in 24 hour convenience stores." She joked.

Max kissed her gently "you don't have to thank me. You're my wife and you needed something. It's my job to go get it."

"Yes, but three times a week?" 99 asked laughing.

"Well, maybe you are pushing it a little." Max kissed her once more. "Do you care if I go back to bed? I'd stay up with you but I have to be in early tomorrow."

"Go on to bed, Love. It's been a long night."

Max shrugged. "The nights are long but the years are short."


	2. Chapter 2

Max headed up the stairs with a glass of water and some crackers for 99. It had been a long night with the twins. It seemed as soon as 99 nursed one the other would wake up crying. Max went into the nursery quietly and placed the glass and crackers on the night stand next to 99. She was nursing his daughter while his son slept peacefully in his crib.

"Thank you, Max." 99 whispered tiredly.

"Welcome, Sweetheart. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I know you have to work tomorrow but keep me company?"

Max smiled and sat down in the rocking chair next to 99. "Yeah, I'll keep you company."

"If our son wakes will you pick him up? For some reason our daughter is just not eating very well tonight. I think it might take a while."

"Yeah, I can grab him. Do you think there's something wrong with her that she's not eating?" Max asked starting to feel panicked.

"No, Max. Just her fathers daughter." 99 said smiling. Max squinted at her.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Does things on her own time."

"I resent that."

"But do you deny it?" 99 asked.

"No. But I resent it." Max said looking at her. She smiled at him and he returned her smile. "How long is it going to be like this?"

"A few months." 99 said sighing. "It seems just as we get a schedule figured out it changes."

"I guess we aren't on our time anymore."

"No we certainly aren't."

"You must be exhausted." Max said looking at her. Though she was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen he couldn't help but notice the bags under her eyes and the paleness of her skin. He couldn't remember the last time she got more but a few hours of sleep. She was so busy taking care of the twins and making sure he was rested for work. "99, why don't we see if your mother can come for a while to help. I know I'm not much help and you're just so exhausted."

"Oh Max, can we?"

"I'll call her later."

"Thank you for worrying about me. You're a wonderful husband and father, Max."

"I don't do much with the twins." He admitted.

"Sure you do! You rock them and change them and dress them. Just because you can't nurse them doesn't mean you don't help. Not to mention you stay up with their mother to keep her company just because she asked."

"Well, I miss you." He said shrugging.

"I miss you too, Max. I know it won't always be like this but it is hard."

Max nodded. "The nights are long but the years will be short."


	3. Chapter 3

"What time did you tell her to be home?" Max asked, looking out the window. Their daughter was out on her first date.

"Ten o'clock." 99 said walking over to her husband. She placed her hand on his shoulder, "Max, relax."

"How am I supposed to relax? I knew she was too young for this. We should have never agreed on letting her go out with that boy."

"Love, she's sixteen and Brian is a very nice young man. They went to a movie and will be back when it's over."

"When did this happen?" He asked looking at her with tears in his eyes.

"Oh Max," 99 sighed. "Love, this is wonderful. It means we're doing a good job." She kissed Max and took his hand in hers. "Come sit with me and try to relax." She said leading him to the couch. Max followed and sat next to his wife of 17 years. Max put his arm around her and she lent into him.

"You think she's having fun?" Max asked.

"I do. And if she's not she knows she can call and we will come get her."

"I just worry. She's my little girl." Max said, shrugging. "It seems like just yesterday I was watching her crawl all over our old apartment and now she's out with a boy."

"I know it's hard. I felt the same when our son went on his first date. When did my little boy start needing a woman other than his mom?" Tears welled up in her eyes.

"We did do good with them." Max said looking at her with misty eyes. "They're so good."

"They are." 99 agreed. "They are responsible, kind, generous... everything everyone hopes their babies will grow up to be."

"You and the kids... are hands down the best things I've ever done in my life." Max kissed her "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Max." They sat in silence for a few minutes when Max finally spoke up. "What time is it now?"

99 laughed, "eight thirty."

"I'm not going to survive this." He admitted dramatically.

"You will. You're Maxwell Smart. Years of KAOS have never been able to stop you. But a boy named Brian will?"

"Yes." He said smiling. "Might as well write my eulogy now. I want my headstone to say 'Here lies Maxwell Smart who died waiting for his daughter to come back from her first date,'"

"That's a little wordy for a headstone." 99 said laughing.

"What if he tries to kiss her?" Max asked appalled.

"The. He tries to kiss her, Max. Not every couple needs to wait five plus years to get serious."

"Is that a jab at me?"

"Yes." She laughed, kissing his cheek.

"They can take five years." He said.

99 roller her eyes at Max. "What are you going to do when she gets married!"

"She's going to get married?!" Max asked as though the thought never crossed his mind before.

"Yes, Love."

Max looked at his watch. "This is the longest night of my life."

"What is that you always say?" 99 asked. "The nights are long but-"

"The years are short."


	4. Chapter 4

99 straightened Max's bow tie before gently kissing his lips. "There. You look so handsome."

"Thank you, Darling."

99 looked down and noticed Max's shaking hands. She took them in hers and squeezed "nervous?" She asked.

"Yes." Max admitted. "It isn't every day you give a speech at your only daughters wedding."

"I'm sure it will be marvelous."

Max smiled, "You always have faith in me. I don't know what I did to deserve a wife as perfect as you."

"Don't sell yourself short, Max."

"It was a beautiful ceremony, wasn't it?"

"It was perfect." 99 agreed. "It made me think of our wedding. Do you remember?"

"I'll never forget. Though ours didn't go nearly as smoothly. You having to step over bodies on the way down the aisle" he said laughing.

"It was my dream come true regardless. I finally got to marry the man of my dreams." She said softly, looking lovingly into his brown eyes. "And each day since then has been a bigger blessing than the one before because of you."

Tears welled up in Max's eyes. After all this time with 99 she still took his breath away by the pure love she had for him. Max squeezed her hands. "I love you, you know that?"

"I do. And I love you, too." 99 looked at the head table and locked eyes with their daughter. "It's time, Love."

"Wish me luck." He said, standing up.

"Good luck, Darling."

Max smiled and bent down to kiss his wife. He then made his way to the head table where his daughter and her new husband sat. The room became quiet as a microphone was handed to him. Max cleared his throat and started.

"Now, I know no one came to this wedding to hear an old man talk on and on about his daughter and how much he loves her so I will keep this as short as I can. Sweetheart, you are the love of my life. From the moment I held you in my arms I knew I was holding someone I was going to love the rest of my life. I don't know where the time has gone. It seems like just yesterday your mother and I was all you needed. I still remember your first date. Ask your mother, I was a nervous wreck. She assured me all night you were fine, it was just a movie. Then you came home and I had never seen you look so happy. You were only 16 but I knew. I knew the man who was going to love you and take care of you for the rest of your life had just dropped you off. I suppose I'm lucky, I got to meet my daughters future husband when they were just 16. Brian, you have grown into an incredible young man. Someday, when you're a father you'll know that no man is good enough for your little girl. Until one is. I love you both. There will be hard times and long nights. But the hard times will be few and the years will be short."


	5. Chapter 5

99 knelt on the cold hard ground. She reached out and slowly traced the name carved into the stone. Though it had been a mere two years it still felt longer since she last heard his voice, felt his touch.

"Oh my Love, I miss you dearly." Slowly, just like every other time she came to Max's grave memories of their half a century together came flooding back. Every look, every touch, every milestone poured into her memory as if it were yesterday. She closed her eyes and smiled. "Oh Max," She whispered, "The nights were long." She kissed her fingertips and pressed them against Max's name "But the years were oh so short."


End file.
